Safety factor

OPINION - Reader Views - THE GREAT FLIP FLAP - Beyond fashion feature

July 27, 2005

Flip-flop flap. I love that phrase, but I wonder how many people have thought about the safety factor, or lack thereof, with flip-flops?

I can't erase the image of a man holding a bunch of flip-flops after the most recent London bombings. He said that people had literally run out of their shoes in the panic to escape the subway. The thought of running barefooted through blood, broken glass, shattered metal and even possibly body parts turned my stomach.

I know shoes are recommended for traveling, and now I have even more reason to avoid unsecured footwear in any location that might be the target of bombers (including the White House).